Chiefs Star Quarterback Patrick Mahomes Skipped Post-Match Interviews on Sunday Because His Girlfriend’s Stepfather Died Before the Game

November 12, 2018

Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Arrowhead Stadium on November 11 in Kansas City, Missouri.JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY IMAGES

Patrick Mahomes inspired the Kansas City Chiefs to a fourth consecutive win on Sunday, but celebrations were cut short by some tragic family news.

Shortly after the Chiefs’ 26-14 home win against the Arizona Cardinals, Mahomes’ girlfriend, Brittany Matthews, took to Instagram to reveal her stepfather had passed away after collapsing outside Arrowhead Stadium before the game.

“Today is a day I will never forget,” she wrote.

“Directly after this picture I sprinted to the front entrance to see my step dad passed out! He did not come back from this and he was called to heaven today!”

According to Kansas CBS-affiliate KCTV, Matthews’ stepfather was attending the game with Mahomes’ father.

Mahomes had left the stadium immediately after the game, skipping the usual postgame meeting with the media. Kansas City’s head coach Andy Reid had put his decision down to a family emergency, but the extent of the situation only became clearer once Matthews shared the news on Instagram.

The tragic development took the gloss off yet another excellent game for the sophomore-year quarterback, who set a franchise record for touchdown passes in a single season as he strengthened his case for being this season’s MVP.

Mahomes completed 21 of 28 passes, throwing for 249 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his tally for the season to 31 and breaking Len Dawson’s record of 30 touchdowns in a single season set in 1964.

Dawson is far and away the franchise leader in terms of touchdown passes, with 237 in 158 starts, more than double the number of passing touchdowns recorded by the next quarterback on the list.

To put things into context, Mahomes has thrown more touchdown passes in the first 10 games of the season than his predecessor, Alex Smith, did in each of his five seasons with the Chiefs.

With 102 passing touchdowns in 76 starts, Smith is fourth in the all-time list of touchdowns by a Chief quarterback, ahead of Elvis Grbac, who recorded 66 in 47 games. While at the start of the season it would have sounded absurd to even suggest Mahomes could be in the conversation, the former Texas Tech student could soon have Grbac firmly in his sight if he continues at this rate.

“[Mahomes] has had a heck of a year,” Reid was quoted as saying by ESPN.

“He’s playing his heart out. I love the back side of that, the preparation and how he goes about his business there day in and day out […] He comes out every day and he’s bringing energy and he makes sure he has his things in order when he does that.”

The Chiefs are now 9-1 after the win and face the Rams, who are also 9-1, in what promises to be an explosive showdown next Monday.